Anglican Catholic Bishop Anathematises Episcopal Presiding Bishop

I’m simply reposting this without much comment (I could say a lot about this ex-TAC priest now ACC Bishop)… lest I am accused of being critical of the ACC, again.

An Anglican Catholic Church (ACC) bishop from Southern Africa has anathematized the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church Katharine Jefferts Schori, saying that she has committed the one unforgiveable sin: that of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Writing in The Trinitarian the official organ of the ACC, the Rt. Rev. Alan Kenyon-Hoare, Bishop Ordinary of the Missionary Diocese of Southern African, said Jefferts Schori’s statements made from the pulpit on Whitsunday whilst on a visit to Curacao in the Episcopal Diocese of Venezuela were heretical and that his pronouncement of anathema is irreversible.

He accused the Episcopal Presiding Bishop of saying that “all the writings of St. Paul are satanically inspired. I pronounce publicly that she is anathema.

“I did so on the grounds that she committed the one unforgiveable sin: that of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. That of course, is not my judgment, but of the Lord himself. Her statement was designed to lead her followers into heresy of the grossest kind.

“I therefore call upon all her followers to immediately quit ECUSA or be subjected to the same judgment.”

The bishop said it is not possible for Dr. Jefferts Schori to repent of such a sin, since she can no longer tell the difference between good and evil, having said in effect that Satan and the Holy Spirit are one and the same person.

He said she made the statement to bolster her silly feminist beliefs. Whilst it may be possible to debate the ordination of women, there can be no excuse for blasphemy when doing so.

“I call upon all orthodox Christian leaders to support me in my public stand against all heresy, and this one in particular. It should be noted that a pronouncement of anathema is irreversible, and this ancient ecclesiastical curse was sanctioned by the early fathers.”

His statements (pronouncing God’s irreversible judgement) were also posted in the popular local Christian magazine, Joy, drawing ridicule and widespread criticism here, where they (the ACC) are seen as more of a fringe sect, mostly through of their obscure actions and outlandish statements, that occasionally feature in the local tabloids as well.

… Frankly, I find this more than a little absurd, and it throws discredit on our Church. We can show our disapproval of “liberal” Christianity, but beginning to behave like Counter-Reformation popes is a little over the top! I would have preferred to see a erudite book by this bishop refuting all the errors of “liberal” Anglicanism – that would certainly have given him more credibility.

I don’t know the full facts and why Bishop Kenyon-Hoare went ahead with this particular stunt. Did he think he would garner massive support and following, or did he overestimate his own importance? I would be most embarrassed if my own Diocesan did such a thing! I thank my own Bishop for his practical sense and realism.